yes theres on board preamps for this unit but the only limit you have is if you wanted to add a compressor for vocals as you need to put the comp. between the preamp and interface......that's for the higher end recording rigs though so you should do just fine with software plugins.

the only thing you will need to do is either run your guitar cable from the guitar to the interface box orplug an XLR lead mic into the interface and turn up the preamp knob at the top of the unit.

for guitar FX the interface come with a software pack called gearbox which has amp, preamp, and guitar FX models which is like having a bunch of amps and FX pedals.

You can use it through Audacity and you need to go to the preferences and change the input to TonePort UX1 and if your speakers are plugged into the TonePort then put the output to TonePort UX1. Fire up Gearbox you should be good to go.

Personally I use Cakewalk Guitar Tracks Pro 3 but it should work with most recording software.

Personally I use Cakewalk Guitar Tracks Pro 3 but it should work with most recording software.

Mind if I ask how, exactly, you manage this? I have both the UX1 + GearBox and GTP3 but I can't seem to get them to co-operate; GTP3 only seems to recognize the UX1 as an output device, not an input, and when I try to change it to an input, absolutely nothing happens. I've changed the default output in Control Panel to speakers instead of the UX1, but it still didn't affect it at all.

...hmm, thats strange.do you have all other USB devices and any USB hubs unplugged?if you have wireless internet, disable the signal though your computer as it may mess with the audio process from what I''ve heard.

I agree that it's strange, both because the UX1 is primarily an input device and because GTP3 senses it as an input device (it just won't let me USE it as such). And yes, all other USB devices besides my printer are unplugged, no hubs, and I have wired 'net. It would be really nice to hear how the guy that uses the exact same setup uses this.